Watford’s promotion in 1982 raised an issue, however. While the Hornets wore gold or yellow shirts with black shorts for much of their existence, in 1979 they had switched to red shorts and socks. It just so happened that Liverpool switched to a yellow away kit in 1982 and Crown Paints coming on board as new sponsors meant that the previous white away shirt couldn’t be used at Watford as it carried the name of Liverpool’s previous partners, Hitachi. Instead of coming up with a third shirt, Liverpool decided to mix and match.

It must have been felt that wearing red shirts, yellow shorts and yellow socks would have been troublesome with Watford in the opposite look, and so the black away shorts from the white kit were called into use with the away socks on the final day of the season, May 14, 1983.